Doll

ABSTRACT

A toy doll is described having a first member and a second member coupled to said first member. The said second member can slidably and/or rotatably move relative to said first member, said second member comprising an armature, an element coupled to said armature, said element being more compliant than said armature, and a molded form around at least said armature and element to simulate a body part with a bendable joint. In another embodiment, the doll includes a body member, where the body member has electronics configured to selectively energize a light emitting source exposed through said body member and a platform configured to enable removable coupling of an accessory to said body member, where said source illuminates at least portions of said accessory.

The present application claims priority to provisional application Ser.No. 60/534,887 filed Jan. 7, 2004 and provisional application Ser. No.60/557,033 filed Mar. 25, 2004, the entire contents of each of which isincorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Examples of known bendable dolls are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 593,592;1,189,585; 3,325,939; 3,624,691; 3,955,309; 4,233,775; and 5,516,314;and in publications JP49-18956 A; JP50 037068 B2; JP62-164092U;JP63-103685 A; EP1108454; GB2354456. Examples of known dolls withmagnetic attachments are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,038,775, 4,118,888,4,170,840, 4,176,492, 4,183,173, 4,186,515, 4,206,564, 5,277,643,5,295,889, 5,380,233, 5,727,717, and 6,171,169. The disclosures thepatents and publications listed in this paragraph are incorporatedherein by reference.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to toy dolls with a bendablearmature, and in one example, to dolls in which the armature includes acombination of bendable limbs and articulated joints. In anotherexample, it further relates to such dolls in which a torso of the dollhouses electronics, and provides an attachment platform for accessoriessuch as simulated wings. In another example, electronics power an LED inthe torso, and the wings are attached to the torso by aligning magnetsin the wings with corresponding magnets in the torso. Still further, thewings can be translucent to transmit light within the wings.

The advantages of the present disclosure will be understood more readilyafter a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description ofExample Embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a doll in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of an opposite side of the doll shown in FIG. 1,showing the attachment of simulated wings to the back of the doll.

FIGS. 3-4 are drawings of example sets of wings that may be attached tothe doll of FIGS. 1 and 2, for example.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of an alternative doll torso configuration.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawings of the torso of the doll of FIG. 5 coupledto the wings of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an armature that could be used foran alternative embodiment of a doll.

FIG. 8 is a magnified view of a portion of the armature of FIG. 7,showing details of the twisted wire structure of the armature.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a head portion of an armature for a posablefigure, according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10A is a front elevation view of a partially formed posable figure,after one step of insert molding.

FIG. 10B is a rear elevation view of the partially formed posable figureof FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is a magnified view of a portion of the partially formedposable figure of FIGS. 10A and 10B, showing details of upper armconnecting pegs.

FIG. 11B is a magnified view of a portion of the partially formedposable figure of FIGS. 10A and 10B, showing details of upper leglocating pegs.

FIG. 11C is a magnified view of a portion of the partially formedposable figure of FIGS. 10A and 10B, showing details of lower leglocating pegs.

FIG. 12 is a front and rear elevation view of a posable figure after twosteps of insert molding, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a semi-transparent front elevation view of the posable figureof FIG. 12, showing an armature and a molded body enclosing thearmature.

FIG. 14 is a semi-transparent side elevational view of the posablefigure of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a detailed drawing of an alternative partially formed arminsert of the doll of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 16 is a detailed drawing of an alternative arm using the insert ofFIG. 15.

FIGS. 17-18 are detailed drawings of an alternative leg insert.

FIG. 19 is a detailed drawing of an alternative leg using the insert ofFIGS. 17-18.

FIG. 20 shows alternative embodiments of arms, legs, arm inserts, andleg inserts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

In the doll 1000 shown in FIG. 1, the legs 1010 and arms 1020 are formedof rigid plastic, and the shoulder and hip joints 1022 and 1024,respectively, are simulated through the use of pins that interconnectthe arms and legs to the torso. In one embodiment, the shoulder joint isan insert-molded swivel and hinge joint, of the type shown in FIG. 4 ofU.S. Pat. No. 4,673,374, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference. Still further, the arm-portion of the joint,identified as reference character 34 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,374, ismolded from a rigid plastic, and is sized and shaped so as to defineless than the entire desired outer shape of the complete arm. This rigidelement is then encased in a soft, flesh-like material such as Kraton orsoft PVC. An example structure is shown below, wherein the resultingshoulder joints may have two degrees of freedom. A similar joint may beused at the hip, or a simpler mushroom joint may be used.

In one embodiment, a pair of twisted wires is trapped within the armportion of the joint, and extends approximately to a wrist portion ofthe arm.

It is believed that twisted wire may improve cyclic life for the limb,allowing the doll to be manipulated further, and more often, whilemaintaining acceptable durability. Furthermore, by using twisted wire,this can be achieved with simple manufacturing processes to generate thetwisted wire either during the doll assembly, or before the raw materialis shipped to the plant. Also, the use of twisted wire trapped withinthe arm can achieve other synergistic effects. For example, in somecases with untwisted wire, a different modulus of elasticity can beencountered depending on the bend angle. As such, by using twisted wire,a more uniform effect can be achieved, if desired. Not also that thetwisted wire can include three strands of wire twisted together, orother multiples higher than 2.

A second rigid plastic member may be used to trap the ends of thetwisted wires, safely encasing those ends in protective plastic. Afurther alternative includes legs with a similar insert-molded joint andarmature, as described below herein.

Due to the shape of the legs 1010, in which a narrow isthmus 1026 isdefined at the knee of the leg, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, bendingaction naturally occurs at or about the knee area, even if only shortrigid elements are molded on the wires embedded within the legs. In thisway, it is possible to reduce manufacturing and part costs, yet maintainfunctionality desired by users. More specifically, by reducing thecross-sectional area of the knee, relative to the upper and lower legportions 1028 and 1030, respectively, it is possible to enable bendingaction to occur at or about the knee area. However, in an alternativeembodiment, rigid elements can also be used in the legs, similar to theexample embodiment of the arms.

Accessories for the various embodiments described above includeremovable wings, such as the wings 1300 of FIG. 3, however various otheraccessories could be used, such as, for example: capes, backpacks,equipment, or weapons. Magnets may be used to attach the wings to thetorso, such as magnets 1310 and 1312, by including mating magnets, onein the torso, and another in the wings. If desired, multiple matingpairs of magnets may be used, such as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively,only one pair need be used, and additional structural support may beprovided by mating posts and holes, with the post formed in one of thetorso or the wing, and a corresponding hole formed in the other of thetorso and wing. Still other structure may be used, such as matting bendsor other surface contours between the torso and wing.

Note that, in one example, the magnets not only can be used to maintaina connection between the doll and the accessory, but also can be used tolocate the accessory to the doll during connection. In other words, themagnets can also be used to align the accessory, such as the wings, tothe doll, thereby allowing easier attachment and detachment ofaccessories to a doll. This is due in part to the self-centering actionof magnets, caused by the shape of the magnetic field. Further, sincethis easier attachment/detachment may require less dexterity than otherattachment approaches, it can be easier for children playing with thedoll to attach and detach the accessories, without degrading or breakingthe parts.

Another aspect of the present doll is electronics contained within thetorso, and/or within other locations of the doll body. An LED (such asLED 1314) may be powered by the electronics, and may be aligned with thewings so that light from the LED shines through the wings. Note thatother LEDs can be added at various portions of the body as analternative, or in addition to, the LED used to shine through the wings.By making the wings of translucent or clear plastic, light may betransmitted throughout the wings, creating a magical glow effect. Forexample, totally and/or partially internally reflective surfaces may beused to direct light through the wings, before being reflected outwardto a viewer. In this way, certain portions of the wings may appearilluminated, even though the entire structure is translucent (ortransparent).

The detachable wings 1300 can be of various forms. The figures showexample wing configurations, however, others can also be used. In oneexample, the wings are formed of translucent material, such as polymericmaterial, to allow transmission of light from a light source, such as anLED as described above. Further, the wings can be fabricated withintegrally molded recesses for receiving and holding a magnet. In theexample of FIG. 3, the wings have multiple sections, and may includesticker decorations.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative pair of wings 1400 for mating to doll 1500of FIG. 5. In this example, the wings utilize magnets 1410 and 1412 forattachment to mating magnets in doll 1500 (such as magnets 1510 and 1512of FIG. 5). Further, hold 1414 is shown that aligns with a protrudingLED in doll 1500, such as LED 1514 of FIG. 5. Wings 1400 further containetched forms, such as stars 1420 and/or sections 1422. In one example,the etches areas reflect internal light outward to a viewer from theLED, so that when viewing the front of the doll, light in the wings canbe seen, even though the LED is in the doll's back. FIGS. 6A-B shows thewings 1400 attached to the doll 1500 from a rear and side perspective.In particular, FIG. 6B shows a bend angle 1430 of wings 1400, whichenable a more contoured fit between the wings and the dolls back,thereby providing a more life-like appearance.

Returning to FIG. 5, it also shows access panel 1516 (held closed byscrew 1518, which enables access to internal electronics for poweringthe LED 1514, as well as the ability to change batteries. Further, FIG.5 shows button 1520, which activates LED 1514. In one example, a singleactuation of button 1520 creates flashing of the LED, whereas in otherexamples, the LED is lighted continuously during depression of button1520.

FIGS. 7-14 show an alternative embodiment of a posable figure, in whichno hinged or pivoted articulations are included. However, the featuresdescribed below, or selected groups of features, can be incorporated inthe limbs described above.

Referring to FIG. 7, an armature 10 for a posable figure is shown.Although it is anticipated that armature 10 will eventually be enclosedby and bonded to an outer covering, such as an injection-molded body ofa posable figure, FIG. 7 shows the inner core of the armature inisolation for clarity. Armature 10 may include a plurality of twistedstrands of wire 12, best seen in FIG. 8, which may be joined together toform an articulated structure. As depicted in FIG. 8, strands 12 may beconstructed from three pliable metal wires twisted together, althoughother suitable numbers of wires and/or materials may be used toconstruct the inner armature.

As depicted in FIG. 7, armature 10 may include a lower strand 14, amiddle strand 16, and an upper strand 18. Lower strand 14 may extendfrom a first foot portion 20 a to a second foot portion 20 b, and middlestrand 16 may extend from a first hand portion 22 a to a second handportion 22 b. Upper strand 18 may extend from an upper portion 24 of thelower strand, to a head portion 26.

The strands of wire in the armature may be connected at junctures 28 and30 to form a unitary structure. As indicated, juncture 28 may connectlower strand 14 to upper strand 18 at a point at or near a lower end ofthe upper strand, so that the upper strand may not extend appreciablybelow its intersection with the lower strand at juncture 28. Juncture 30may connect the middle strand to the upper strand at a point betweenjuncture 28 and head portion 26. Junctures 28 and 30 may be formed, forexample, by spot welding, although other forms of adhesion such asgluing, crimping, or the like may also be suitable for formingconnections between the strands of wire.

As depicted in FIG. 7, armature 10 may be formed into an articulatingstructure that includes lower leg portions 32 a and 32 b, upper legportions 34 a and 34 b, lower arm portions 36 a and 36 b, upper armportions 38 a and 38 b, and a neck portion 40. For simplicity, symmetricpairs of parts such as the leg and arm portions, among numerous others,may hereinafter be referred to by a single reference number. Thus,“lower leg portions 32” will be understood to mean lower leg portions 32a and 32 b, and so forth.

The strands of wire may be chosen to have any diameter that permits adesired amount of flexibility in the various regions of the armature.For example, lower strand 14 and upper strand 18 may be formed fromtwisted wires that are approximately 0.030-inches in diameter, andmiddle strand 16 may be formed from a twisted wire that is approximately0.025-inches in diameter. However, it will be appreciated that wires ofother diameters may be equally suitable or more suitable for variousdesigns, depending on the overall size of the posable figure and itsintended use.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, a distal end of upper strand 18forms head portion 26 in the shape of a substantially circular loop 42that is spot welded to neck portion 40 at an upper juncture 44. However,it should be appreciated that the head portion may be suitably formed invarious other ways. For example, FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which ahead portion 126 is formed in the shape of a curved hook or semi-loop46.

In FIGS. 7-9, the various wire strands 14, 16, and 18 that are includedin armature 10 are shown before any injection molding steps involvingthe toy figure have been performed. Such injection molding may typicallybe performed in a two-step process. In the first injection molding step,a plurality of structures may be injection molded around the inner wire,to form a more rigid and substantial inner skeleton. In the secondinjection molding step, a flesh-like outer covering may be molded aroundthe skeleton to form a surrounding body, which may enclose both theinner wire armature and portions of rigid structures that were added inthe first step. These two injection molding steps are described below ingreater detail.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show front and rear elevation views, respectively, ofa partially formed posable figure 110, after a first injection moldingstep has been performed. After the first injection molding step,partially formed figure 110 may include wire armature 10 as describedabove, as well as a plurality of support members. These support membersmay include surrounding members 48, 50, and 52, end caps 54 and 56, andsprues 58, 60, and 62, among others. The support members may extendoutward from the strands of wire, adding structure and stability toarmature 10. As described below, some of the support members may alsoallow partially formed figure 110 to be located accurately andconveniently in a mold, prior to a second injection molding step.

The support members may be constructed from any suitable material, suchas a resin material that may be conveniently molded around wire armature10 in molten form. The support member material may, for example, be arelatively flexible polymer material such as polypropylene, or it may bea more rigid polymer such as polyethylene. The support member materialmay also be a thermoplastic elastomer material such as polyvinylchloride(PVC), or a styrene-based elastomer such as a Kraton materialmanufactured by Kraton Polymers of Houston, Tex. In some embodiments,this material may be chosen to bond and/or be otherwise compatible witha material used for the outer covering of the toy figure.

Surrounding members 48, 50, and 52 each may be configured to surround aportion of the wire of armature 10, and each may include a plurality oflocating pegs extending substantially radially outward from the wire.For example, surrounding member 48 may include upper arm pegs 64 and 66,surrounding member 50 may include upper leg pegs 68 and 70, andsurrounding member 52 may include lower leg pegs 72, 74, and 76. Thelocating pegs may be substantially cylindrical as depicted in FIGS. 10and 11, or they may have any other suitable shape. For example, thelocating pegs may be substantially conical or frustoconical. Thelocating pegs may also have rounded ends.

FIG. 11 shows details of the structure of surrounding members 48, 50,and 52, and their associated locating pegs. The locating pegs may beconfigured to assist in locating partially formed figure 110 in a mold,in preparation for a second injection molding step. As indicated, upperarm pegs 64, upper leg pegs 68, and lower leg pegs 72 may extend forwardand away from the armature, upper arm pegs 66 and upper leg pegs 70 mayextend backward and away from the armature, lower leg pegs 74 may extendlaterally and away from the armature, and lower leg pegs 76 may extendmedially and away from the armature.

Providing locating pegs of the type just described may help to positionpartially formed figure 110 in a desired location within a mold. Forexample, a particular locating peg may be configured to substantiallyspan a radius of the mold, thereby holding a wire strand of the armaturespaced away from the walls of the mold. This may allow material to beinjected into the mold to form a continuous molded body, encasing andbonded to the armature, with the wires of the armature spaced away fromthe surface of the body.

As depicted in FIGS. 10A and 10B, end caps 54 and 56 may be disposed tocover free ends of lower strand 14 and/or middle strand 16. In otherwords, the end caps may be disposed to cover foot portions 20 and/orhand portions 22 of the inner wire armature. End caps 54 and 56 may holdloose ends of the wires together, and may reduce the chances that an endof one of the wires will break through the body of the toy.

Sprues 58, 60, and 62, which may be substantially cylindrical, may serveto further locate partially formed figure 110 in a mold during a secondinjection molding step. For example, the sprues may be placed incorresponding cylindrical depressions or recesses in the mold, to holdthe armature in position while a surrounding body is injection moldedaround partially formed figure 110.

As depicted in FIGS. 10A and 10B, sprues 58 and 60 may be disposed nearend caps 54, and attached to the end caps by connecting shafts 78. Inaddition, sprues 60 may be attached to surrounding members 80 by shafts82, and surrounding members 80 may be attached to each other by aconnecting shaft 84. In this manner, sprues 58 and 60, connecting shafts78, 82 and 84, and surrounding members 80 all form a substantiallycontinuous structure for locating the partially formed figure in a mold,and supporting it there during a second injection molding step.Similarly, sprues 62 may be connected to end caps 56 by connectingshafts 86, and end caps 56 may be connected to each other by aconnecting shaft 88, as indicated.

Aside from the aforementioned structures, a molded head portion 90 mayalso be added during the first injection molding step. Molded headportion 90 may include a rear section 92 extending in slight relief fromthe remainder of the molded head portion. Rear section 92 may include asubstantially rectangular aperture 94, and two smaller circularapertures 96. Apertures 94 and/or 96 may be used for additional securepositioning of partially formed figure 110 in a second mold, forinstance using shafts, pins, or the like to extend from the mold intothe apertures.

A chest portion 98 may also be added during the first injection moldingstep. Furthermore, portions of the inner wires may be covered with arelatively thin coating of material, generally indicated at 100. Theadditional structure of chest portion 98 and wire coating 100 may serveto selectively increase the rigidity of portions of the toy figure, andto provide greater stability to the partially formed figure prior to asecond injection molding step.

FIGS. 12-14 show a toy figure, generally indicated at 210, after twosteps of injection molding. As is best seen in FIGS. 13-14, toy figure210 may include partially formed figure 110 (including armature 10), andalso a surrounding and continuously molded body 212. Body 212 may beconstructed from any resilient, flexible material, such a highly elasticthermoplastic material such as a soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materialhaving a Shore hardness of approximately 65. The body material may becolored to match the desired finished color of the posable figure, butthe body material is depicted as transparent in FIGS. 13-14, so thatpartially formed figure 110 may be seen disposed within it.

Although in general, any suitable material may be used to construct thebody of the toy figure, in some embodiments the body material may bechosen to bond to and/or be otherwise compatible with the material usedfor the support members of the armature of the toy figure. For example,the body material and the support member material may both beconstructed from styrene-based elastomers such as a Kraton material,with either similar or different Shore hardnesses. Such similarelastomers may tend to bond particularly securely to each other duringinjection molding of the body around the armature.

FIG. 12 shows front and rear views, respectively, of toy figure 210after a second step of injection molding but before final finishing ofthe toy figure is complete. Sprues 58, 60, and 62 may still be attachedexternally to figure 210 after the second molding step. Similarly,portions of connecting shafts 78, 82, 86, and/or 88 may remain outsideof body 212 after the second molding step. The protruding sprues and/orshafts, if any, may be cut or broken off of toy figure 210 as part offinal finishing steps.

Further, FIG. 12 also shows electronic chip 230, which can includeanalog or digital circuitry for powering electronic actuators in thebody, such as LED 236. Also, a battery (or batteries) 238 is showncoupled to the electronic chip for providing a power source. However,alternative power sources can be used, such as an electromagneticgenerator that is powered by motion (e.g., motion caused by someoneplaying with the doll) of the doll.

Electronic chip 230 is housed within the molded body of the doll. Inthis particular example, chip 230 is located in torso region 228.However, the chip, or its circuitry, could be located in other regions(such as the legs), or distributed about various regions of the body.Also, in this example, the light source (in this case LED 236) islocated at the surface of the body so that light can be emitted out tothe accessory (not shown) coupled via magnets 232 and 234.

Electronic chip 230 is also coupled to a switch 240 for actuating LED236. In this case, a contact switch is utilized in which the userdepresses a button to activate LED 236. The LED is activated whileswitch 240 is depressed, and the LED is deactivated while switch 240 isnot depressed. Note however that alternative switches could be used. Forexample, a heat sensor could be used to sense heat from the user's bodycontacting the doll. Other alternative sensors could also be used thatsense when the doll is held, or contacted in a certain way by the user.Such sensor could further be integrally molded in the doll, which mayalso provide improved appearance of the doll body.

Continuing with FIG. 12, the rear view shows magnets 232 and 234 thatcan be used to locate and attach the wings (or other accessories),described above. In this case, the magnets 232 and 234 are locatedwithin the body mold, such that the surface of the back is smooth, withthe magnets exposed. However, the magnets can be internally integrallymolded and covered with a smooth layer of body material, if desired.This may provide an improved appearance in some applications.

FIG. 13 shows a front view of toy figure 210 after some final finishingsteps, with the material of molded body 212 depicted as transparent sothat armature 10 may be seen within the figure. As depicted in FIG. 13,locating pegs 74 and 76 may extend to lateral and medial surfaces 214and 216 of the body, respectively. Also as depicted in FIG. 13, variousfinishing steps may be applied to the toy figure after the secondinjection molding step. For example, sprues and/or connecting shaftsthat remain external to molded body 212 may be removed, possibly leavingportions of shafts 82 extending to surfaces of the body. Facialfeatures, generally indicated at 218, may be added by, for example,etching and/or painting. Hair 220 may be attached to the figure by, forexample, heat sealing or gluing. In some embodiments, clothing and/orother accessories may be added to the figure.

FIG. 14 shows a right side view of toy figure 210, with the material ofmolded body 212 depicted as transparent as in FIG. 13. As depicted inFIG. 14, locating pegs 64, 68, and 76 may extend to an anterior surface222 of the body, and locating pegs 66 and 70 may extend to a posteriorsurface 224 of the body. End portions of the various locating pegsextending to surfaces of the body may be sanded or otherwise smoothed asdesired, as a final finishing step.

FIG. 15 shows a detailed approximately 1:1 scale drawing of an arminsert 300 which can be used in the doll described above. The drawingshows the arm insert, which can be used for both the left and rightarms, after two molding steps, where the molding can be insert moldingas described herein.

Specifically, FIG. 15 shows arm insert 300 having a first insert moldedpivot at 310 and a pair of parallel disks 312 used to form a shoulderjoint captured by the doll torso. The following molding steps can beused to form insert 300, although alternative approaches may also beused. First, wire 314, which spans from approximately hole 320 to hole322 is placed in a mold and held or located by the pins of the mold (notshown), where the pins form holes 320 and 322 in insert 300. Wire 314can be a twisted pair of two or more wires, or a single wire. Then, theinsert is partially molded, forming the lower structure 324, and middlestructure 326. Included in lower structure 324 are locating pegs 330,which are used to locate the piece after the first molding operation inlater molds. After forming the lower and middle structure 324 and 326, asecond molding operation is performed which forms upper structure 328around middle structure 326, thereby forming rotary pivot 310. Further,the second molding operation, which forms upper structure 328, alsoforms disks 332 and 334 (which are later captured by the doll body toform a second pivot at the shoulder in addition to pivot 310).Alternatively, these two molding operations could be combined into asingle molding operation.

After the second molding operation, the piece is placed in another moldand located by pegs 330 to form either a right arm or left arm asdescribed in more detail below. By structuring insert 300 in this way,it is possible to have a single insert design that can be used to formboth the left and right arms, thereby saving cost.

Lower structure 324 is shown with two locating pegs 330, however only asingle peg, or more than 2 pegs, could be used, if desired. Further,lower structure 324 has a stepped outer form which can improve thestrength of the piece and thereby improve durability, while stillproperly capturing wire 314. Likewise, middle structure 326 is alsoformed in a step manner, for similar reasons. Also, lower and middlestructures 324 and 326 have reinforced structure around holes 320 and322, respectively to compensate for the lack of material in the hole.Again, this improves strength and durability of the finished arm,thereby allowing repeated use by a doll user.

FIG. 15 includes a top and side views in conventional drawing format.Further, an isometric view is also shown, illustrating various featuresof the insert.

Referring now to FIG. 16, a right arm 400 is shown, which is formedusing insert 300. FIG. 16 includes an isometric view and details ofright arm 400.

As shown in FIG. 16, insert 300 is used in a third molding operation toform the right arm 400 over insert 300. The view illustrates the shapeof the hand and arm, including joint 418 and disks 412 later used toform a two degree of freedom rotary shoulder joint. FIG. 16 also showslocating pins 430 which were used to locate insert 300 in the moldforming the arm 400. After this molding operation, pins 430 can be cutoff, thereby leaving a finished arm for assembly to the doll body.

Arm 400 is thus formed to provide improved durability and desiredflexibility, as well as a more realistic simulation of human parts,while still enabling the desired degrees of freedom and motion foreffective play by the user. Therefore, the combination of rotaryshoulder joints with bendable elbow joints thus provides an advantageousresult.

While the above example shows a right arm, it is also possible to form aleft arm in a substantially similar way.

Referring now to FIGS. 17-19, detailed drawings of the left leg insert(FIGS. 17-18) and finished right leg (700 of FIG. 19) are shown, withFIG. 19 at approximately 1:1 scale. The legs are formed in a mannersimilar to the arms discussed above with respect to FIGS. 15-16.However, there are various differences.

First, as shown in FIGS. 17-19, the leg insert 600 includes a singledegree of freedom insert molded hip joint 610, which is angled relativeto the upper leg section 612. The hip joint 610 is captured by the dolltorso.

The following molding steps can be used to form insert 600, althoughalterative approaches may also be used. First, wire 614, which spansfrom approximately hole 620 to hole 622 is placed in a mold and held orlocated by the pins of the mold (not shown), where the pins form holes620 and 620 in insert 600. Wire 614 can be twisted pair of two or morewires, or a single wire. Then, the insert is partially molded, formingthe lower structure 624, and the middle structures 626. Included inlower structure 624 are locating pegs 630, which are used to locate thepiece after the first molding operation in later molds. After formingthe lower and middle structure 624 and 626, a second molding operationis performed which forms upper structure 628, thereby forming rotarypivot 610 (which is later captured by the doll body to form a pivot atthe hip). Alternatively, these two molding operations could be combinedin a single molding operation.

After the second molding operation, the piece is placed in another moldand located by pegs 630 to form a left leg as described in more detailbelow. While the different left and right leg inserts are described,they could be reused as described above with regard to FIGS. 17-19.

Lower structure 624 is shown with two locating pegs 630, however only asingle peg, or more than 2 pegs, could be used, if desired. Further,lower structure 624 has a stepped outer form which can improve thestrength of the piece and thereby improve durability, while stillproperly capturing wire 614. Likewise, upper structure 628 is alsoformed in a step manner, for similar reasons. Also, lower and upperstructures 624 and 628 have reinforced structure around holes 620 and622, respectively to compensate for the lack of material in the hole.Again, this improves strength and durability of the finished leg,thereby allowing repeated use by a doll user.

Referring now to FIG. 19, a left leg 700 is shown in an approximately1:1 scale drawing, which is formed using insert 600.

As shown in FIG. 19, insert 600 is used in a third molding operation toform the left leg 700 over insert 600. The various views illustrate theshape of the leg and foot, including joint 610 later used to form asingle degree of freedom rotary hip joint. FIG. 19 also shows locatingpins 630 which were used to locate insert 600 in the mold forming theleg 700. After this molding operation, pins 630 can be cut off, therebyleaving a finished leg for assembly to the doll body.

Leg 700 is thus formed to provide improved durability and desiredflexibility, as well as a more realistic simulation of human parts,while still enabling the desired degrees of freedom and motion foreffective play by the user. Therefore, the combination of rotary hipjoints with bendable elbow knees thus provides an advantageous result.Furthermore, the shape formed by this third molding operation provides athinned portion 720 to form the knee. Thus, even though wire 614 spansan area much larger than the knee joint, the knee bends about thin area720 due to the shape formed in this third molding operation. As such,less manufacturing complexity can be used while still achievingrepeatable bending at a desired location. Again, a right leg may beformed in a similar fashion.

Referring now to FIG. 20, several alternative embodiments are described.The two right side drawings in FIG. 20 show alternative arm and arminsert designs, in which section 326 is modified to include smalldimples 810 and 812 to inner and outer parts of the upper arm section326. In this way, it is possible to provide improved location of theinsert in the third molding operation which forms the arm around theinsert. In other words, these dimples (or a single dimple, or more than2 dimples) can help prevent, or reduce, location errors of the skeletonin arm mold.

Continuing with FIG. 20, the left side drawings show an alternative leginsert and leg. First, a small dimple 814 is added to section 628 of theleg insert at the upper inner thigh area of the leg, again to prevent orreduce location errors of the leg skeleton in leg mold, as describedabove with regard to dimples 810 and 812. While a single dimple 814 isused, more than one could also be used.

Second, the barrel diameter in the location near dimple 814 has beenreduced, and a support rib 816 has been added to increase the strengthof the leg section 628, thereby providing improved durability.

It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multipledistinct examples with independent utility. While each of these exampleshas been disclosed in example form, the specific embodiments thereof asdisclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limitingsense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of thedisclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations andsubcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/orproperties disclosed herein. Similarly, where any claim recites “a” or“a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claim should beunderstood to include incorporation of one or more such elements,neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations offeatures, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed throughpresentation of claims in a related application. Such new claims,whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to thesame invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scopeto the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subjectmatter of the inventions of the present disclosure.

1. A toy doll, comprising a first member; a second member coupled tosaid first member, where said second member can slidably rotatably moverelative to said first member, said second member comprising anarmature, an element coupled to said armature, said element being morecompliant than said armature, and a molded form around at least saidarmature and element to simulate a body part with a bendable joint. 2.The doll of claim 1 wherein said first member is a plastic body member.3. The doll of claim 1 wherein said first member is a plastic torsomember.
 4. The doll of claim 1 wherein said second member is a limb. 5.The doll of claim 4 wherein said limb is an arm.
 6. The doll of claim 4wherein said limb is an leg.
 7. The doll of claim 1 wherein saidrelative movement includes rotating movement.
 8. The doll of claim 1wherein said armature is plastic and insert molded to said first memberto form said coupling.
 9. The doll of claim 1 wherein said elementcomprises twisted wire.
 10. The doll of claim 1 wherein said coupling isconfigured to form an articulated shoulder joint.
 11. The doll of claim1 wherein said coupling is configured to form an articulated hip joint.12. A doll, comprising: a body member, the body member comprising:electronics configured to selectively energize a light emitting sourceexposed through said body member; a platform configured to enableremovable coupling of an accessory to said body member, where saidsource illuminates at least portions of said accessory.
 13. The doll ofclaim 12 wherein said source is a light emitting diode.
 14. The doll ofclaim 12 wherein said platform includes a magnet configured to becoupled to a magnet in said accessory.
 15. The doll of claim 14 whereinsaid platform includes at least two magnets configured to be coupled toat least two magnets in said accessory.
 16. The doll of claim 12 whereinsaid accessory is at least partially translucent to transmit light fromsaid source through said accessory and create a visual glowing effect.17. The doll of claim 12 wherein said accessory includes wings.
 18. Atoy doll, comprising an accessory; a first member, said first membercomprising: electronics configured to selectively energize a lightemitting source exposed through said body member; a platform configuredto enable removable coupling of said accessory to said body member,where said source illuminates at least portions of said accessory; asecond member coupled to said first member, where said second member canrotatably move relative to said first member, said second membercomprising an armature, an element coupled to said armature, saidelement being more compliant than said armature, and a molded formaround at least said armature and element to simulate a body part with abendable joint.
 19. The doll of claim 18 wherein said platform includesat least two magnets configured to be coupled to at least two magnets insaid accessory.
 20. The doll of claim 18 wherein said accessory is atleast partially translucent.